BHD ready for test this year
Writer: YUTHANA PRAIWAN
Published: 22/07/2009 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: BusinessPTT Plc expects its bio-hydrogenated diesel (BHD) pilot project will be ready for field tests this year, says Songkiat Thansamrit, an executive vice-president with the country's biggest energy company.
A PTT researcher monitors a test on a car of the new BHD biodiesel product.
BHD is a higher-quality 100% biofuel in which the hydrogenation process transforms vegetable oil from methyl ester to hydrocarbon, making it more suitable for blending 10% biofuel in high-speed diesel. The highest current ratio of biofuel in diesel is 5%.
But PTT has high hopes that its BHD field test can achieve a 20-40% ratio, which would also serve Energy Ministry policy to create better and cleaner fuels.
Laboratory tests of BHD finished at the end of last year. The field test will be carried out in collaboration with the Thailand Automotive Institute for oil quality accreditation, which could be followed by accreditation from leading global automobile manufacturers afterward.
"Although the production cost of BHD cannot compete with high-speed diesel, we believe that as the global economy rebounds, oil prices will rise and then green BHD will be more feasible compared to fossil fuels," Mr Songkiat said.
"BHD is quite near the commercial production stages in Finland, Italy and Singapore. In Thailand, we anticipate reaching this stage shortly after 2010."
The BHD project expenses are part of PTT's overall research and development budget this year of one billion baht.
PTT is also researching how to make a liquefied fuel from natural gas to create another alternative fuel. It expects to finish its research by next year.
Apart from fuel, it is also researching a plastic gas pipeline and chemical production improvement as well as engineering plastic.
PTT shares closed yesterday on the Stock Exchange of Thailand at 233 baht, down four baht, in trade worth 2.35 billion baht.
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